Francis,

I fear my days of travelling are past. University, gardening, and more tend to limit my range to the two western provinces. The days of jaunting from coast to coast in the US and through Europe and Asia are pleasant (mostly) memories. i have finally settled down, it seems, content with my little slice of the world.

One of my greatest pleasures now is finding a book on some little known aspect of history, written by someone who has pursued the topic for ages. One such book is on the history of European porcelain, another on the Morro Castle fire. The charge of the Light Brigade, Wellington's vendetta against a model builder who made the mistake of modelling the wrong moment of Waterloo, the building of the Spanish galleons, and so many more. Disasters are high on the list as well, natural and man-made. Last week, "Craze", the tale of the gin craze in 18th Century England by a U of T professor was on the remainder table. Fascinating! Somewhere in the boxes stored is a book on the US vice-presidents which reminds me that Dan Quail was not the worst of that generally bad and forgotten lot. Like a magpie, I gather these unrelated treasures knowing I will forget much to the tale and return to read it again when the spirit moves - those moments when you browse the shelves saying to yourself with growing frustration that "I have nothing to read!"..

I also try to locate books on things that cross my path that cry out for more understanding. A friend in Vancouver "dumpster dove" to retrieve a persian carpet that the her landlord had tossed away after an eviction. Certainly hand knotted, very short nap, and when folded weighs next to nothing. Four by eight it is primarily brilliant red and filled with symbols which were a mystery. That led me to books on Persian carpets, not a subject that had attracted my interest before. A "geometric medallion-plain design" - I think - based upon an encylopedic tome by Ford, which led me to a wonderful little book "The Root of the Wild Madder" by a slightly mad chap who follows the trail of such carpets through Central Asia. I still have to confirm the area where this carpet was made - do you happen to know a personal carper expert in your neck of the woods?

Ah well. These treasures keep multiplying.. A "gentle madness" indeed...

Willow